Clock for simultaneously displaying different but indirectly related time cycles

ABSTRACT

A clock for simultaneously displaying, through a single drive mechanism, different but indirectly related time cycles. This clock utilizes a single motor which drives two toothed sprockets through an advancement means which engages the teeth on the sprockets. These sprockets have equal diameters but have different numbers of teeth so that they rotate at different speeds. The first of these sprockets is arranged to display one time cycle. A pinion is associated with the other sprocket to rotate at the same speed therewith and through suitable interconnection drives a third toothed sprocket. This third sprocket is arranged to display a time cycle different from that displayed on the first sprocket. By properly choosing the gearing ratios between each of the sprockets and the pinion, conventional hour and minute time, lunar time, and solar time may, for example, be displayed by a single mechanism in an economical yet accurate manner.

United States Patent [1 1 Terrence [4 1 Sept. 2, 1975 CLOCK FORSIMULTANEOUSLY DISPLAYING DIFFERENT BUT INDIRECTLY RELATED TIME CYCLES[75] Inventor: Arthur L. Torrence, Newtown,

Conn.

[73] Assignee: Mechtronics Corporation, Stamford,

Conn.

[22] Filed: June 19, 1974 21 App1.No.:480,602

[5.6] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,153,492 9/1915 Hoitinga58/3 3,721,083 3/1973 58/3 3,766,727 10/1973 58/3 3,823,544 7/1974Torrence 58/3 Primary Examiner-Edith Simmons Jackmon Attorney, Agent, orFirmHaynes N. Johnson 5 7] ABSTRACT A clock for simultaneouslydisplaying, through a single drive mechanism, different but indirectlyrelated time cycles. This clock utilizes a single motor which drives twotoothed sprockets through an advancement means which engages the teethon the sprockets. These sprockets have equal diameters but havedifferent numbers of teeth so that they rotate at different speeds. Thefirst of these sprockets is arranged to display one time cycle. A pinionis associated with the other sprocket to rotate at the same speedtherewith and through suitable interconnection drives a third toothedsprocket. This third sprocket is arranged to display a time cycledifferent from that displayed on the first sprocket.

By properly choosing the gearing ratios between each of the sprocketsand the pinion, conventional hour and minute time, lunar time, and solartime may, for example, be displayed by a single mechanism in aneconomical yet accurate manner.

11 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTED SEP 2l975 sum 2 [1 1 CLOCK FORSIMULTANEOUSLY DISPLAYING DIFFERENT BUT INDIRECTLY RELATED TIME CYCLESBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention It is oftendesirable to indicate different but indirectly related time cycles in asingle display. For example, it is well known that the earth rotates onits axis once every 24 hours thus providing a basis for measure ofdaily, hour and minute, time. Further, the moon revolves in its orbitaround the earth once in approximately 29 /2 days. This lunar motionprovides a basis for measure of lunar monthly time and the movement oftides. Moreover, the earth revolves once, in its orbit, around the sunin approximately 365 /4 days. This motion of the earth provides a basisfor measuring solar yearly time.

Consequently, it is often desirable to be able to ascertain the time ofday, the time of lunar month, and the time of solar year simultaneously.For example, one may wish to ascertain the phase of the moon in order toconduct astronomical observations. More commonly, it is desirable toknow the time of year in order to determine when certain crops should beplanted and harvested. Astrologers may wish to ascertain the time ofyear as a guide to their astrological predictions.

A clock which simultaneously displays the time of day, lunar month, andsolar year may have great utility in other areas. The integrated clockof the present invention is a means which may be adapted to provide suchsimultaneous time display in an economical and simple fashion yet stillwith a high degree of accuracy.

2. Description of the Prior Art A variety of devices are presently knownfor indicating the relative positions and movements of the earth, sun,and moon. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 246,061 Blair discloses anastronomical clock and US. Pat. No. 1,484,174 Divo discloses a devicefor indicating the relative movements of the earth, sun and moon. Suchdevices, however, are generally very complex and hence are noteconomical to construct.

Other clocks which simultaneously indicate two measures of time aredisclosed in US. Pat. Nos. 2,677,928- Haynes and 3,524,313 Wood. Eachpatent discloses a device for indicating the time of day as well as forindicating the time of natural tidal cycles. In addition, my US. PatentNo. 3,823,344 is directed to an integrated diurnal tide and time clockfor continuously indicating time of day and time of tide. However, theseprior art patents and my eo-pending application do not disclose anapparatus for simultaneously indicating three different but indirectlyrelated time cycles such as the time of day, lunar month, and solaryear.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The presently preferred embodiment of the clockof the present invention for simultaneously indicating different butindirectly related time cycles such as the time of day, lunar month, andsolar year, that is, for simultaneously indicating time measured by therotation of the earth, the revolution of the moon about the earth, andthe revolution of the earth about the sun, includes a clock having anhour hand and a minute hand for indicating the time of day. Amain drivetoothed sprocket and a lunar device toothed sprocket for indicating thetime oflunar month, both having teeth about their peripheries and havingthe same diameter, are mounted for rotation. The main drive toothedsprocket carries 122 teeth and the lunar drive toothed sprocket carries1 18 teeth.

A motor is mounted to operate the hands of the daytime indicating clockand a cam is mounted for rotation with the hour hand of this clock. Thecam actuates a cam follower which carries an actuation spring thatsimultaneously engages the teeth of the main drive and lunar drivesprockets. Thus, when the cam actuates the cam follower twice in a 24hour day, the main drive sprocket is rotationally advanced 1/61 of onecomplete revolution and the lunar drive sprocket is rotationallyadvanced 1/59 of one complete revolution.

The lunar drive sprocket forms a lunar display dial on which a scale isprinted that is calibrated so that one complete revolution indicates 2lunar montly cycles, each consisting of 29 /2 days.

A pinion is mounted for rotation at the same speed as the main drivesprocket. A solar drive sprocket which forms a solar display dial has ascale printed on its surface for indicating the time of the solar year.This solar drive sprocket is driven by the main drive sprocket throughthe pinion in a gearing ratio of 1/6. The scale on the solar drivesprocket is calibrated so that one complete revolution indicates onesolar yearly cycle having 366 days. The pinion and the solar drivesprocket are interconnected by a bead chain which is held in firmengagement by tensioning studs.

The simple mechanical arrangement of the preferred embodiment of thepresent invention provides an economical clock for simultaneouslydisplaying different but indirectly related times cycles, namely thetime of day, the time oflunar month, and the time of solar year. Allthree displays are driven by a single motor which directly operates theday-time indicating clock. Additionally, this simple arrangementprovides a highly accurate indication of the various desired times.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide aunique and novel clock for simultaneously indicating different butindirectly related time cycles, namely the time of day, lunar month, andsolar year. The device of the present invention is simple and economicalto construct and is at the same time highly accurate.

Other objects, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will bepointed out in or will be understood from the following detaileddescription when considered in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings which are briefly described below and which show the presentlypreferred mode of putting this invention into practice.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front elevational view ofthe preferred embodiment of the present invention. This Figureillustrates the displays for indicating the time of day, the time oflunar month, and the time of solar year;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view illustrating in detail the components of thisclock;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of this clock taken through plane 33 inFIG. 1 looking toward the left showing in detail the components inassembled form;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken through plane 4-4 in FIG. 1looking toward the left showing in detail the manner in which thevarious components are mounted; and

FIG. 5 is a front elevational view, partly broken away, of the main andlunar drive sprockets illustrating the cam, cam follower, actuationspring, and a detent spring.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT As shown in FIGS. 1, 3,and 4, the preferred embodiment of the clock of the present inventionfor simultaneously indicating different but indirectly related timecycles such as the time of day, lunar month, and solar year comprises acabinet 2 which includes a front face plate 4, a central mechanismsupport plate 6, and a rear face plate 8. The central mechanism supportplate 6 and the rear face plate 8 are each supported inthe cabinet byfour corner blocks 10.

FIG. 1 illustrates clock displays for indicating the time of day, timeof lunar month, and time of solar year in assembled form. The displayfor indicating the time of day includes a face which is divided inconventional fashion into 12 parts, each representing 1 hour or 5minutes. As illustrated, the numbers 3, 6, 9, and 12 appear on this face12. An hour hand 14 and a minute hand 16 indicate the time of the day bytheir relative positions on the day-time indicating display face.

The display for indicating the time of lunar month is superimposed onthe daytime indicating display. This lunar display includes a dial 18 inthe form of a disk having a suitable scale for indicating lunar monthlytime on its surface. This scale is visible through an opening 20 cut inthe face of the day-time indicating display. The opening is shaped toform a pointer 22. The lunar scale is shown with a symbol 24 which whenaligned with the pointer 22 indicates that the moon is full. Other timesin the lunar monthly cycle, that is, half moon, quarter moons, and newmoon, are indicated by the relative positions of the symbol 24 and thepointer 22. The lunar clock dial 18 may be provided with scale affordinggreater precision in measurement of lunar monthly time merely by addingother symbols indicative of the phases of the moon at appropriatelocations.

The display for indicating solar yearly time is shown having a face 26positioned below the day-time lunartime indicatingdisplays. Thesolar-yearly time indicating display includes a solar dial 28 which isvisible through a solar display opening 30 cut in the front face plate4. A pointer 32 is vertically mounted across the opening 30. The solarclock dial is provided with a suitable scale for indicating solaryearlytime. As illustrated, this scale is divided into 12 parts represented byvarious symbols 34 which indicate the signs of the Z0- diac.Alternatively, the solar clock dial may be provided with any otherdesired scale, for example, one indicating the months of the year, oneindicating planting cycles for various crops, or one indicating theseasons of the year.

The mechanism which affords accurate indication of the time of day, thetime of lunar month, and the time of solar year in a simple andeconomical fashion is illustrated in detail in FIGS. 2 through 5. Allthree'displays comprising the clock of this preferred embodiment areoperated by a single synchronous motor 36 which is electricallyoperated. Any other suitable-clock actuation mechanism for accuratelydriving the minute and hour hands of the day-time indicating clock maybe used. However, an electrically operated synchronous motor, such asthat illustrated. is preferable since it is generally inexpensiveand'yet extremely accurate. The motor 36 is mounted on the centralmechanism support plate 6 by a bolt 38 which engages a motor mountingshaft 40. The synchronous motor is provided with two concentric shafts42 and 44 on which the hour hand 14 and minute hand 16 are respectivelymounted and is geared to operate the hands 14 and 16 at conventionalspeeds to properly indicate the time of day.

A cam 46 is attached to the hour hand shaft to rotate at the same speedwith it. As shown in detail in FIG. 5, the cam 46 has a single lobe 48which causes a cam follower 50 to pivot in an oscillatory manner about apoint 52. A cam follower return spring 54, attached at one end to thecentral mechanism support plate 6 and attached at the other end to camfollower 50 is provided to insure firm contact between the cam and thefollower. An actuation spring 56 is carried at the end of the camfollower 50.

The clock mechanism of the preferred embodiment of the present inventionfurther includes a main drive toothed sprocket 58, integrally formedwith a smaller pinion 60, mounted for free rotation on the hour handshaft 42. Since the pinion and the main drive sprocket are integrallyformed, both rotate at the same speed. Nylon or any other materialsuitable for making gears may be used to form the main drive sprocket atthe pinion. Additionally, these components need not be formed togetherbut should be'assembled so that they rotate at the same speed.

A lunar drive toothed sprocket 62 is also mounted on the hour hand shaft42 for free rotation. A washer 64 separates the pinion and the lunardrive sprocket 62. Similarly; this lunar drive sprocket may be made fromnylon or any other suitable material from which gears are usuallyconstructed.

Both the main drive and lunar drive sprockets are provided with aplurality of gear teeth 66 about their periphery. As illustrated inexaggerated form to show detail in FIG. 5, the gear teeth 66 carried onboth the main drive and lunar drive sprockets are formed and arranged tobe simultaneously engaged by the actuation spring 56 carried at the endof the cam follower 50. A detent spring 68, which is not shown in FIG. 3for purposes of clarity, is mounted on the central mechanism supportplate 6 to hold the main and lunar drive sprockets in a fixed positionduring the period of upward pivoted travel of the cam follower andactuation spring. Since the cam is mounted for rotation with the hourhand shaft 42, the cam follower oscillates through its pivoted pathtwice per day. The cam is shaped and the actuation spring is dimensionedso that both the main drive and lunar drive sprockets are advanced onetooth for each oscillation of the cam follower, or are advanced twoteeth per day.

It has been found that providing the main drive sprocket with 122 teethand the lunar drive sprocket with l 18 teeth permits them to beconveniently, simultaneously, rotationally advanced by the cam followerand actuation spring. Since the main drive sprocket 58 has 122 teeth.and is advanced two teeth per day, it completes one revolution in 61days. Similarly, since the lunar drive sprocket has 1 18 teeth and isadvanced two teeth per day, it completes one revolution in 59 days. Asillustrated in FIG. 2,the lunar clock dial 18 formed bythe lunar drivesprocket is divided into two portions 7Q and 72 on each of which isprinted a completelunar monthly cycle scale. Thus, one completerevolution of the lunar drive sprocket indicates 2 lunar monthly cyclesof 29 /2 days each.

A solar drive sprocket 74, the face of which forms the solar displaydial 28, is mounted for rotation on a fixed shaft 76 below the main andlunar drive sprockets. The shaft 76 is mounted on the central mechanismsupport plate 6 by a machine screw 78 and spacer sleeves 80 are providedto position the solar drive sprocket on the shaft. As shown in FIG. 2,the solar drive sprocket is interconnected to the day-time display andlunar display by a bead chain 82 which is reaved about the pinion 60.The path of the bead chain is defined by three positioning andtensioning studs 84 which are mounted on the central mechanism supportplate. The solar drive sprocket is provided with 90 teeth suitablyformed to engage the bead chain. The pinion is formed with teeth, alsosuitably formed to engaged the bead chain. As noted, the main drivesprocket, and hence, the pinion make one complete revolution in 61 days.Since the lunar drive sprocket makes 1 complete revolution for every 6revolutions of the pinion, the solar drive sprocket makes one completerevolution in 366 days. Thus, the lunar drive sprocket indicates a lunarcycle of 29% days and the solar drive sprocket indicates a solar yearlycycle of 366 days. If it is assumed that the actual lunar cycle is29days, 12 hours, 44 minutes, and 3 seconds, the indication of lunartime is 99.9% accurate. Similarly, if it is assumed that the actualsolar yearly cycle is 365% days, the indication of solar yearly timeprovided by the integrated clock of the present invention is 99.8%accurate.

It is desirable to provide main drive and lunar drive sprockets having122 and 118 teeth respectively. These configurations permit easysimultaneous operation by the cam follower and actuation spring sincethe teeth on each sprocket are nearly identical in size. However, anyarrangement where the total number of teeth on the lunar drive sprocketis a multiple n of 59 and the total number of teeth on the main drivesprocket is also a multiple n of 61, and wherein the cam follower andcam are arranged to be cyclically operated ntimes per day issatisfactory. Additionally, other displays of different but indirectlyrelated time cycles may be achieved by choosing appropriate gearingratios between each of the sprockets and the pinion.

Accordingly, the integrated clock of the present invention provides asimple, economical and accurate integrated clock for indicating thedifferent but indirectly related time cycles such as the time of day,time of lunar month, and time of solar year.

I claim:

1. A clock for simultaneously indicating different but indirectlyrelated time cycles such as the time of day, lunar month, and solaryear, that is, time the bases for measure of which are respectively therotation of the earth, the revolution of the moon about the earth, andthe revolution of the earth about the sun, comprising:

a clock having an hour and a minute hand for indicating the time of day;

a motor mounted to operate said daytime indicating clock;

a main drive sprocket, having gear teeth about its pcriphery, mountedfor rotation;

a lunar drive sprocket for indicating the time of lunar month, mountedfor rotation with said main drive sprocket, also having gear teeth aboutits periphcry, the ratio of the total number of lunar drive sprocketteeth to the total number of main drive sprocket teeth being 59/61;

single means associated with said motor for simultaneously rotationallyadvancing each of said main and said lunar drive sprockets apredetermined number of teeth per day to provide the appropriateindicated daily advance of lunar time; and

a solar drive sprocket for indicating the time of year, the solar drivesprocket being driven by said main drive sprocket through apredetermined rotational speed reduction ratio providing the appropriateindicated daily advance of solar time.

2. A clock for simultaneously indicating different but indirectlyrelated time cycles such as the time of day, lunar month, and solaryear, that is, time the bases for measure of which are respectively therotation of the earth, the revolution of the moon about the earth, andthe revolution of the earth about the sun as claimed in claim 1 furthercomprising:

a detent spring to retard rotation of said lunar and said main drivesprockets, when not being rotationally advanced by said advancementmeans.

3. A clock for simultaneously indicating different but indirectlyrelated time cycles such as the time of day, lunar month, and solaryear, that is, time the bases for measure of which are respectively therotation of the earth, the revolution of the moon about the earth, andthe revolution of the earth about the sun as claimed in claim 1 whereinsaid means for rotationally advancing said main and said lunar drivesprockets comprises:

a cam mounted with the hour hand of said day-time indicating clock forrotation at the same speed therewith;

a cam follower mounted to be actuated by said cam;

and

means carried on said cam follower for engaging said lunar and said maindrive sprocket gear teeth.

4. A clock for simultaneously indicating different but indirectlyrelated time cycles such as the time of day, lunar month, and solaryear, that is, time the bases for measure of which are respectively therotation of the earth, the revolution of the moon about the earth, andthe revolution of the earth about the sun as claimed in claim 3 whereinsaid cam is adapted to actuate said cam follower and said engagementmeans 2 times per day, to rotationally advance said main and said lunardrive sprocket two teeth per day; and wherein said main drive sprockethas 122 teeth and said lunar drive sprocket has 1 18 teeth.

5. A clock for simultaneously indicating different but indirectlyrelated time cycles such as the time of day, lunar month, and solaryear, that is, time the bases for measure of which are respectively therotation of the earth, the revolution of the moon about the earth, andthe revolution of the earth about the sun as claimed in claim 4 whereinsaid lunar drive sprocket is calibrated so that one complete revolutionindicates 2 lunar monthly cycles, each having 29 /2 days.

6. A clock for simultaneously indicating different but indirectlyrelated time cycles such as the time of day, lunar month, and solaryear, that is, time the bases for measure of which are respectively therotation of the earth, the revolution of the moon about the earth, andthe revolution of the earth about the sun as claimed in claim 4 whereinsaid solar indicating sprocket is calibrated so that one completerevolution indicates one solar yearly cycle, having 366 days, andwherein the speed reduction ratio between said main drive sprocket andsaid solar drive sprocket is 1/6.

7. A clock for simultaneously indicating different but indirectlyrelated time cycles such as the time of day, lunar month, and solaryear, that is, time the bases for measure of which are respectively therotation of the earth, the revolution of the moon about the earth, andthe revolution of the earth about the sun as claimed in claim 1 furthercomprising:

a pinion mounted for rotation at the same speed as said main drivesprocket; and

a bead chain which interconnects said pinion and said solar drivesprocket for driving said solar indicating sprocket at l/6 therotational speed of the pinion.

8. A clock for simultaneously indicating different but indirectlyrelated time cycles such as the time of day, lunar month, and solaryear, that is, time the bases for -measure of which are respectively therotation of the earth, the revolution of the moon about the earth, andthe revolution of the earth about the sun as claimed in claim 7 furthercomprising:

tensioning means for maintaining tension in said bead chain.

9. A clock for simultaneously indicating different but indirectlyrelated time cycles such as the time of day, lunar month, and solaryear, that is, time the bases for measure of which are respectively therotation of the earth, the revolution of the moon about the earth, andthe revolution of the earth about the sun comprising a display having anhour and a minute hand for indicating the time of day;

a motor mounted to operate said day-time indicating display;

a lunar display having a dial and a pointer for indicating the time ofmonth mounted with said day-time indicating display;

a solar display having a dial and a pointer for indicating the time ofyear also mounted with said daytime indicating display; and

gear means for interconnecting said day-time indicating, solar, andlunar displays comprising:

main gear means;

lunar gear means for driving said lunar display pointer relative to saidlunar display dial, the ratio of teeth on said lunar and main gear meansbeing 59/61;

means associated with said motor for simultaneously rotationallyadvancing said main gear means l/61) of one revolution per day and forrotationally advancing said lunar gear means l/59) of one revolution perday;

pinion means mounted for rotation at the same speed as said main gearmeans; and

solar gear means driven by said main gear means through said pinionmeans for in turn driving said solar display pointer relative to saidsolar display dial, the gearing ratio between said pinion means and saidsolar gear means being l/6.

10. A clock for simultaneously indicating different but indirectlyrelated time cycles such as the time of day, lunar month, and solaryear, that is, time the bases for measure of which are respectively therotation of the earth, the revolution of the moon about the earth, andthe revolution of the earth about the sun as claimed in claim 9 whereinsaid means for rotationally advancing said main and said lunar gearmeans comprises:

a cam mounted with the hour hand of said day-time indicating display forrotation at the same speed therewith;

a cam follower mounted to be actuated by said cam;

and

a means carried on said cam for engaging at least one of said main gearmeans and said lunar gear means.

11. In a clock having an hour and a minute hand and a motor mounted tooperate the hour and minute hands to indicate the time of day, theimprovement comprising a mechanism for simultaneously indicating timecycles different from the day-time cycle but indirectly related thereto,said mechanism comprising:

a main drive sprocket mounted for rotation having teeth about itsperiphery;

a second drive sprocket for indicating a second time cycle differentfrom but indirectly related to the day-time cycle mounted for rotationwith said main drive sprocket also having teeth about its periphery;

the main drive sprocket and second drive sprocket being coaxial andhaving the same diameters and about, but not exactly, the same numbersof teeth, whereby the teeth on the main and second drive sprockets areabout the same size;

single means associated with said motor for simulta neously rotationallyadvancing said main and said second drive sprockets in one toothincrements;

a pinion mounted for rotation at the same speed as said main drivesprocket; and

a third drive sprocket, for indicating a third time cycle different frombut indirectly related to the day-time and second-time cycles, driven bysaid main drive sprocket through said pinion.

l l l l=

1. A clock for simultaneously indicating different but indirectlyrelated time cycles such as the time of day, lunar month, and solaryear, that is, time the bases for measure of which are respectively therotation of the earth, the revolution of the moon about the earth, andthe revolution of the earth about the sun, comprising: a clock having anhour and a minute hand for indicating the time of day; a motor mountedto operate said day-time indicating clock; a main drive sprocket, havinggear teeth about its periphery, mounted for rotation; a lunar drivesprocket for indicating the time of lunar month, mounted for rotationwith said main drive sprocket, also having gear teeth about itsperiphery, the ratio of the total number of lunar drive sprocket teethto the total number of main drive sprocket teeth being 59/61; singlemeans associated with said motor for simultaneously rotationallyadvancing each of said main and said lunar drive sprockets apredetermined number of teeth per day to provide the appropriateindicated daily advance of lunar time; and a solar drive sprocket forindicating the time of year, the solar drive sprocket being driven bysaid main drive sprocket through a predetermined rotational speedreduction ratio providing the appropriate indicated daily advance ofsolar time.
 2. A clock for simultaneously indicating different butindirectly related time cycles such as the time of day, lunar month, andsolar year, that is, time the bases for measure of which arerespectively the rotation of the earth, the revolution of the moon aboutthe earth, and the revolution of the earth about the sun as claimed inclaim 1 further comprising: a detent spring to retard rotation of saidlunar and said main drive sprockets, when not being rotationallyadvanced by said advancement means.
 3. A clock for simultaneouslyindicating different but indirectly related time cycles such as the timeof day, lunar month, and solar year, that is, time the bases for measureof which are respectively the rotation of the earth, the revolution ofthe moon about the earth, and the revolution of the earth about the sunas claimed in claim 1 wherein said means for rotationally advancing saidmain and said lunar drive sprockets comprises: a cam mounted with thehour hand of said day-time indicating clock for rotation at the samespeed therewith; a cam follower mounted to be actuated by said cam; andmeans carried on said cam follower for engaging said lunar and said maindrive sprocket gear teeth.
 4. A clock for simultaneously indicatingdifferent but indirectly related time cycles such as the time of day,lunar month, and solar year, that is, time the bases for measure ofwhich are respectively the rotation of the earth, the revolution of themoon about the earth, and the revolution of the earth about the sun asclaimed in claim 3 wherein said cam is adapted to actuate said camfollower and said engagement means 2 times per day, to rotationallyadvance said main and said lunar drive sprocket two teeth per day; andwherein said main drive sprocket has 122 teeth and said lunar drivesprocket has 118 teeth.
 5. A clock for simultaneously indicatingdifferent but indirectly related time cycles such as the time of day,lunar month, and solar year, that is, time the bases for measure ofwhich are respectively the rotation of the earth, the revolution of themoon about the earth, and the revolution of the earth about the sun asclaimed in claim 4 wherein said lunar drive sprocket is calibrated sothat one complete revolution indicates 2 lunar monthly cycles, eachhaving 29 1/2 days.
 6. A clock for simultaneously indicating differentbut indirectly related time cycles such as the time of day, lunar month,and solar year, that is, time the bases for measure of which arerespectively the rotation of the earth, the revolution of the moon aboutthe earth, and the revolution of the earth about the sun as claimed inclaim 4 wherein said solar indicating sprocket is calibrated so that onecomplete revolution indicates one solar yearly cycle, having 366 days,and wherein the speed reduction ratio between said main drive sprocketand said solar drive sprocket is 1/6.
 7. A clock for simultaneouslyindicating different but indirectly related time cycles such as the timeof day, lunar month, and solar year, that is, time the bases for measureof which are respectively the rotation of the earth, the revolution ofthe moon about the earth, and the revolution of the earth about the sunas claimed in claim 1 further comprising: a pinion mounted for rotationat the same speed as said main drive sprocket; and a bead chain whichinterconnects said pinion and said solar drive sprocket for driving saidsolar indicating sprocket at 1/6 the rotational speed of the pinion. 8.A clock for simultaneously indicating different but indirectly relatedtime cycles such as the time of day, lunar month, and solar year, thatis, time the bases for measure of which are respectively the rotation ofthe earth, the revolution of the moon about the earth, and therevolution of the earth about the sun as claimed in claim 7 furthercomprising: tensioning means for maintaining tension in said bead chain.9. A clock for simultaneously indicating different but indirectlyrelated time cycles such as the time of day, lunar month, and solaryear, that is, time the bases for measure of which are respectively therotation of the earth, the revolution of the moon about the earth, andthe revolution of the earth about the sun comprising a display having anhour and a minute hand for indicating the time of day; a motor mountedto operate said day-time indicating display; a lunar display having adial and a pointer for indicating the time of month mounted with saidday-time indicating display; a solar display having a diAl and a pointerfor indicating the time of year also mounted with said day-timeindicating display; and gear means for interconnecting said day-timeindicating, solar, and lunar displays comprising: main gear means; lunargear means for driving said lunar display pointer relative to said lunardisplay dial, the ratio of teeth on said lunar and main gear means being59/61; means associated with said motor for simultaneously rotationallyadvancing said main gear means (1/61) of one revolution per day and forrotationally advancing said lunar gear means (1/59) of one revolutionper day; pinion means mounted for rotation at the same speed as saidmain gear means; and solar gear means driven by said main gear meansthrough said pinion means for in turn driving said solar display pointerrelative to said solar display dial, the gearing ratio between saidpinion means and said solar gear means being 1/6.
 10. A clock forsimultaneously indicating different but indirectly related time cyclessuch as the time of day, lunar month, and solar year, that is, time thebases for measure of which are respectively the rotation of the earth,the revolution of the moon about the earth, and the revolution of theearth about the sun as claimed in claim 9 wherein said means forrotationally advancing said main and said lunar gear means comprises: acam mounted with the hour hand of said day-time indicating display forrotation at the same speed therewith; a cam follower mounted to beactuated by said cam; and a means carried on said cam for engaging atleast one of said main gear means and said lunar gear means.
 11. In aclock having an hour and a minute hand and a motor mounted to operatethe hour and minute hands to indicate the time of day, the improvementcomprising a mechanism for simultaneously indicating time cyclesdifferent from the day-time cycle but indirectly related thereto, saidmechanism comprising: a main drive sprocket mounted for rotation havingteeth about its periphery; a second drive sprocket for indicating asecond time cycle different from but indirectly related to the day-timecycle mounted for rotation with said main drive sprocket also havingteeth about its periphery; the main drive sprocket and second drivesprocket being coaxial and having the same diameters and about, but notexactly, the same numbers of teeth, whereby the teeth on the main andsecond drive sprockets are about the same size; single means associatedwith said motor for simultaneously rotationally advancing said main andsaid second drive sprockets in one tooth increments; a pinion mountedfor rotation at the same speed as said main drive sprocket; and a thirddrive sprocket, for indicating a third time cycle different from butindirectly related to the day-time and second-time cycles, driven bysaid main drive sprocket through said pinion.